Any experience with this substrate

I am current using aspen and moss to try to keep the humidity up for my 4month old ball python. I have a 40gallon glass tank with a screen top. I covered about 60% of the screen with a damp towel and mist it twice a day. The humidity currently is 55% and drops to 35-40% after a few hours and at night it seems to be fine between 50-60%, but with misting. Does anyone recommend Zoo Med Eco Earth Compressed Coconut Fiber Expandable Substrate? The only reason why i am considering the change because the humidity drops while i am at work for 8hours, and do not want it to harm my boy.

Give you a big tip that infound to be helping me a ton.... cover the entire top in aluminum foil, cout out a hole for your light making it maybe half an inch bigger, now at the cool side of the tank make a long narrow strip.... after trial and error with the cold side slit im finding no issue keeping my humidity above 50%, i mist maybe once or twice a week now, im using aspen bedding and a 100w basking light, also make sure you have a nice sized water bowl with good surface area within range of your heat source

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Originally Posted by M.P.C

Give you a big tip that infound to be helping me a ton.... cover the entire top in aluminum foil, cout out a hole for your light making it maybe half an inch bigger, now at the cool side of the tank make a long narrow strip.... after trial and error with the cold side slit im finding no issue keeping my humidity above 50%, i mist maybe once or twice a week now, im using aspen bedding and a 100w basking light, also make sure you have a nice sized water bowl with good surface area within range of your heat source

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Good tip. Im going to try that today since i am off and can keep an eye on it to see if it works

Should i do the foil without the use of the damp towel ?

i had put some folded paper towls under mine that i mist when i mist the cages, a towl can become moldy and start to smell faster then paper towls thats why i went that route

The tin foil tip is amazing! I have misted in a week now and my humidity is great. I would not recommend the compressed coco stuff, it's very messy and dries out fast. Try cypress mulch, the stuff is amazing!


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Originally Posted by M.P.C

i had put some folded paper towls under mine that i mist when i mist the cages, a towl can become moldy and start to smell faster then paper towls thats why i went that route

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Originally Posted by gameonpython

The tin foil tip is amazing! I have misted in a week now and my humidity is great. I would not recommend the compressed coco stuff, it's very messy and dries out fast. Try cypress mulch, the stuff is amazing!


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So far i misted the tank and used the foil as you said. So far so good humidity has been at 55% for about 30min now. Just have to wait and see whats my end result for the day..... gameonpythin: it would dry out even if i use a small bottom layer and some moss on top? I love the moss it definitely help me out with the humidity, because the aspen alone wouldnt maintain it.

Are you using a dome with a CHE for heating? If so, what I do for my 40 gallon breeders is cut a piece of thick cardboard to fit the whole screen top. Then cut a hole on whichever side you want the dome on 1" bigger than the dome. Then cover the whole cardboard in tin foil. Then I use a double folded paper towel that I soak twice a day(once in the evening and once in the morning) that I put on top of their warm hide(I use reptile basic hides) which are flat topped. This keeps humidity 50-60% and once the paper towel dries out, it still will hold high 40s. It also keeps heat in as well. I keep my house around 75F so the air is kind of dry but soaking the paper towels twice a day will keep humidity going day and night with really only a drop the few hours late at night but that still sits around 47% or so. Oh and this is using aspen. I used Eco Earth for 1 year a long time ago and it was more trouble than it was worth for me.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

Are you using a dome with a CHE for heating? If so, what I do for my 40 gallon breeders is cut a piece of thick cardboard to fit the whole screen top. Then cut a hole on whichever side you want the dome on 1" bigger than the dome. Then cover the whole cardboard in tin foil. Then I use a double folded paper towel that I soak twice a day(once in the evening and once in the morning) that I put on top of their warm hide(I use reptile basic hides) which are flat topped. This keeps humidity 50-60% and once the paper towel dries out, it still will hold high 40s. It also keeps heat in as well. I keep my house around 75F so the air is kind of dry but soaking the paper towels twice a day will keep humidity going day and night with really only a drop the few hours late at night but that still sits around 47% or so. Oh and this is using aspen. I used Eco Earth for 1 year a long time ago and it was more trouble than it was worth for me.

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Sounds like a good idea. Im going to try that. Thanks alot. Ive only had him alittle over a week and been experimenting on the tank

No problem. I would avoid putting wet paper towels on screen tops as I've read a lot of people having those screen tops start rusting on them from doing that. That's why I put my wet paper towels on top of the flat hides on their warm side. Plus I've actually caught my baby sunglow basking on the wet paper towel under the CHE lol. Figure it must feel like a steam bath.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

No problem. I would avoid putting wet paper towels on screen tops as I've read a lot of people having those screen tops start rusting on them from doing that. That's why I put my wet paper towels on top of the flat hides on their warm side. Plus I've actually caught my baby sunglow basking on the wet paper towel under the CHE lol. Figure it must feel like a steam bath.

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Lol i just did that, but i think hes sleeping or just comfy in his hide. He doesnt come out much during the day

Lol nope, they are like pet rocks. Dottie only comes out of her hides for 5 reasons......poop, water, smells a rat, moving to the cool side hide or vise versa, or I physically take her out and make her "play".

I use the loose coconut substrate and I almost NEVER have to mist. Literally once a week, if that. Try not to use a wet or damp towel on top of the tank. It will cause the screen to rust. Instead think of changing it to aluminum foil. Cover the lid with that and it will help hold in humidity.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

Lol nope, they are like pet rocks. Dottie only comes out of her hides for 5 reasons......poop, water, smells a rat, moving to the cool side hide or vise versa, or I physically take her out and make her "play".

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Lol yeah i can tell. They're living the good life

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

Lol nope, they are like pet rocks. Dottie only comes out of her hides for 5 reasons......poop, water, smells a rat, moving to the cool side hide or vise versa, or I physically take her out and make her "play".

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My ball python isn't a real ball python I guess, because he is always out exploring and climbing lol!


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Originally Posted by gameonpython

My ball python isn't a real ball python I guess, because he is always out exploring and climbing lol!


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Lol mine only explores after being handled, and at night when hes awake. Other than that hes like a statue